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There are several answers with a variety of cynicism. At the lowest level of cynicism, both parties love to have a boogeyman, and often the level of attention

There are several answers with a variety of cynicism. At the lowest level of cynicism, both parties love to have a boogeyman, and often the level of attention and criticism these targets get goes way too far. Next level of cynicism: he’s a Jewish liberal, and a large majority of antisemities vote right, not left. By now non-racist republicans are very good at ignoring or rationalizing the bigots around them, so really loud dog whistles have no negative consequences. Final level of cynicism: republicans and right wing parties across Europe are no longer interested in democracy, and are now trending rapidly towards open fascism. Soros’ love of free speech and fair elections are a problem to them, not a shared value between otherwise political opponents.

agsdfgsd 8y ago
>Soros’ love of free speech and fair elections Why do you think he wants either of those things? He funds campaigns to end free speech and put in place laws to restrict speech to only those views he considers acceptable. He funds organizations specifically to interfere in fair elections and attempt to maintain a far left hegemony across Europe.
- rsynnott 8y ago
  > He funds organizations specifically to interfere in fair elections and attempt to maintain a far left hegemony across Europe. Maintain a "far left hegemony"? Have you ever been in Europe? Does your knowledge of Europe come entirely from 4chan? Hint; there are no far-left ruling parties/coalitions anywhere in Europe.
  - agsdfgsd 8y ago
    Just saying "Hint;" before posting your opinion doesn't actually invalidate other opinions. Just because what most people consider far left you consider to be moderate, doesn't make your opinion fact and everyone else's wrong.
    - rsynnott 8y ago
      Far left has a reasonably accepted meaning. You could argue around the edges, but ultimately you're not going to plausibly extend it to cover the center-left and center-right parties who actually rule most of Europe.
      - agsdfgsd 8y ago
        Yes it does. And that meaning is people whose political views are very far into left wing politics. Left wing politics means: "Left-wing politics supports social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy". Which EU countries are not enforcing equality laws again? Which EU countries don't have massive taxes to fund huge welfare states? All of western Europe has been in the grip of far-left politicians for over half a century.
        shaki-dora 8y ago
        You have subtly moved the goal post from "far left" to "left-wing". Nice! Your definition also happens to fit Donald Trump professing his love of farmers and minors. If Donald Trump is far-left, have you considered that you may be a fascist?
        agsdfgsd 8y ago
        >You have subtly moved the goal post from "far left" to "left-wing". Nice! No I have not. Putting words in my mouth despite them contradicting what I actually posted is not productive. >Your definition also happens to fit Donald Trump Yes, Trump is a New York liberal. >If Donald Trump is far-left He is not far left, he fits the definition of left wing. He hasn't tried to enact laws to force equality, so he doesn't appear to be far left. >have you considered that you may be a fascist? How would that follow? What does fascism have to do with the liberals being liberal? You do realize fascism isn't right wing?
        dang 8y ago
        Political flamewar will get you banned here, regardless of what other users are up to. Please don't post like this to HN. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
- sdwa 8y ago
  There aren't any far left countries in Europe, and haven't been for nearly 30 years now.
  - agsdfgsd 8y ago
    "Left-wing politics supports social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy" From wikipedia. Please explain to me how Germany or France could be any further left than they currently are. How much harder could the French government support equality and oppose hierarchy? By definition, a state that is as far into the policies of left wing politics as possible is a far-left state.
    - Ragnarork 8y ago
      Funny you say that as the party currently holding power in France is center-right relatively to the political landscape in the country. Maybe your ideas of what's right, left, and far-right/left might not be as accurate as you think they are. Also far-left and left are obviously different no matter the baseline, so conflating the two is pretty simplistic (and wrong).
      - agsdfgsd 8y ago
        Funny that you completely ignore my simple query and instead repeat two fallacies that have already been addressed. I am using the definition of left wing given by wikipedia. You can argue that is wrong if you like, but pretending it is me that is uniquely wrong is silly. And I did not conflate far left and left at any point in any way. I stated very clearly that far left is taking the left wing position to its extreme, and then gave the wikipedia definition of left wing, which is what needs to be taken to extreme to be "far left". Lets look at the reality of France. The people of France are in open revolt against the government over its left wing policy. The people are clearly to the right of the ruling class. That doesn't sound very center right does it? Just because the parties in France are all far left, doesn't mean the ruling party is "center right". Just because the political parties are #3200FF, #3400FF, #3000FF and #3600FF doesn't make #3600FF "redish purple". They are all blue.

agsdfgsd 8y ago

>Soros’ love of free speech and fair elections Why do you think he wants either of those things? He funds campaigns to end free speech and put in place laws to restrict speech to only those views he considers acceptable. He funds organizations specifically to interfere in fair elections and attempt to maintain a far left hegemony across Europe.

rsynnott 8y ago
> He funds organizations specifically to interfere in fair elections and attempt to maintain a far left hegemony across Europe. Maintain a "far left hegemony"? Have you ever been in Europe? Does your knowledge of Europe come entirely from 4chan? Hint; there are no far-left ruling parties/coalitions anywhere in Europe.
- agsdfgsd 8y ago
  Just saying "Hint;" before posting your opinion doesn't actually invalidate other opinions. Just because what most people consider far left you consider to be moderate, doesn't make your opinion fact and everyone else's wrong.
  - rsynnott 8y ago
    Far left has a reasonably accepted meaning. You could argue around the edges, but ultimately you're not going to plausibly extend it to cover the center-left and center-right parties who actually rule most of Europe.
    - agsdfgsd 8y ago
      Yes it does. And that meaning is people whose political views are very far into left wing politics. Left wing politics means: "Left-wing politics supports social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy". Which EU countries are not enforcing equality laws again? Which EU countries don't have massive taxes to fund huge welfare states? All of western Europe has been in the grip of far-left politicians for over half a century.
      - shaki-dora 8y ago
        You have subtly moved the goal post from "far left" to "left-wing". Nice! Your definition also happens to fit Donald Trump professing his love of farmers and minors. If Donald Trump is far-left, have you considered that you may be a fascist?
        agsdfgsd 8y ago
        >You have subtly moved the goal post from "far left" to "left-wing". Nice! No I have not. Putting words in my mouth despite them contradicting what I actually posted is not productive. >Your definition also happens to fit Donald Trump Yes, Trump is a New York liberal. >If Donald Trump is far-left He is not far left, he fits the definition of left wing. He hasn't tried to enact laws to force equality, so he doesn't appear to be far left. >have you considered that you may be a fascist? How would that follow? What does fascism have to do with the liberals being liberal? You do realize fascism isn't right wing?
        dang 8y ago
        Political flamewar will get you banned here, regardless of what other users are up to. Please don't post like this to HN. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
sdwa 8y ago
There aren't any far left countries in Europe, and haven't been for nearly 30 years now.
- agsdfgsd 8y ago
  "Left-wing politics supports social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy" From wikipedia. Please explain to me how Germany or France could be any further left than they currently are. How much harder could the French government support equality and oppose hierarchy? By definition, a state that is as far into the policies of left wing politics as possible is a far-left state.
  - Ragnarork 8y ago
    Funny you say that as the party currently holding power in France is center-right relatively to the political landscape in the country. Maybe your ideas of what's right, left, and far-right/left might not be as accurate as you think they are. Also far-left and left are obviously different no matter the baseline, so conflating the two is pretty simplistic (and wrong).
    - agsdfgsd 8y ago
      Funny that you completely ignore my simple query and instead repeat two fallacies that have already been addressed. I am using the definition of left wing given by wikipedia. You can argue that is wrong if you like, but pretending it is me that is uniquely wrong is silly. And I did not conflate far left and left at any point in any way. I stated very clearly that far left is taking the left wing position to its extreme, and then gave the wikipedia definition of left wing, which is what needs to be taken to extreme to be "far left". Lets look at the reality of France. The people of France are in open revolt against the government over its left wing policy. The people are clearly to the right of the ruling class. That doesn't sound very center right does it? Just because the parties in France are all far left, doesn't mean the ruling party is "center right". Just because the political parties are #3200FF, #3400FF, #3000FF and #3600FF doesn't make #3600FF "redish purple". They are all blue.